Save the trees!

The access ramps in our neighbourhood to the Gardiner will be redesigned. The circular ramp at York and Queens Quay is coming down and a new park will be created from the green space inside. YQNA has saved this parkland from various proposed developments — from sewage treatment plant to roadways for parking. Because of our long fight to keep this park on the Waterfront, we are taking stock of the many trees on the site. They are fully grown and some appear very healthy. It is our wish to get a green park that is not dominated by hard surfaces, and to keep as many trees as possible. Here is a beautiful maple tree, ready to shade the centre of our new green entryway to the Waterfront.

There is no doubt in my mind that these large trees must be saved and maintained at any cost . These are the only almost mature trees within several KM of York St. and Queens Quay and are badly needed to offset the pollution emitted from the car traffic on GEW and Lakeshore . We also need the equivalent of 3 mature trees replaced which were cut down for the Oxford development .
The health and quality of life of the local “Taxpayers” is at stake here .

Thank you for raising this important issue. It is shameful that Oxford Properties destroyed these trees for their construction convenience, and that the City allowed them to do it.

Waterfront Toronto destroyed another of these mature trees on the south side of the off-ramp on Queen’s Quay, soon after I called them to express concern about construction debris being dumped around the base of the tree.

We should give these beautiful trees great drespect, acknowledge their contribution to our community and our spirits and work together to save them when the off-ramp is taken down.